Kitchen Essential

Serving

As long as there is sufficient work surface beside the hob, the oven or the free-standing cooker on which to put plates and serving dishes, there should be few problems.

Within the serving area there should be convenient storage for oven gloves, serving spoons, plates and serving dishes.

Dishwashing

This is often a part of the preparation area. However, if the kitchen is large enough, it may be worth considering a separate dishwashing zone, close to the eating area. This zone will accommodate the waste disposal unit or a rubbish bin and, ideally, a dishwasher. Twin sinks should be large enough to hold a grill pan.

The hob should be linked by a worktop to the sink. It should also have ample work surfaces on both sides of it. Kettle, tea, coffee, cups and saucers are best kept close to the sink. Toasters should be on a work surface or shelf near to the bread. Deep drawers for bread storage are preferable to bins on the work surface. Continue Reading »

When someone is busy cooking in the kitchen, the instinctive urge for visitors or bystanders is to want to have a taste. Eating food where it is prepared is a traditional, and very comforting thing to do. In prehistoric times it was the norm. There was no special room for eating, nor was there co-ordinated linens, crockery and cutlery! Raw materials were simply hunted, harvested or gathered, then roughly skinned, chopped or ground with simple implements. Cooking, where applicable, was over an open fire and eating was a communal process vital to survival.

Historically, cooking and eating habits have refined and continually changed over generations and according to the structure of the social system. Formal dining rooms were associated with privileged sectors of the community — those who had servants to scrub, clean and polish their homes and possessions. Continue Reading »

The shape of the room will dictate the most appropriate layout. Size is secondary to good planning and organization. The process of getting food from the fridge, preparing it, cooking it and serving it, should follow a logical sequence.

THE GALLEY KITCHEN

This layout suits the smaller, long, thin kitchen. In a narrow area all the appliances will have to be ranged down the length of one wall. If the door and window permits, make use of the width too. A slightly wider room offers two parallel working areas. The galley kitchen needs streamlined, fitted units. Aim to use the wall from floor to ceiling in your design, and store seldom used items on the higher shelves. Continue Reading »